In Dreams
by VietAngel
Summary: Barbara does something she should have done long ago. Helena and Barbara, friendship.


Title: In Dreams  
Author: VietAngel  
Pairings: Barbara/Helena friendship  
Rating: G  
Disclaimers: The usual, I don't own these characters and all that yada.

Author's Note: This is my first Birds of Prey fanfic. I just had this idea floating around in my head. The show just seemed to be missing a lot of emotion, considering the plot was all about destruction and loss. So this is my take on what might have been going on between the lines.

* * *

_Selina Kyle rushed home excitedly. She didn't know why she was in such a hurry; Helena wasn't due home for a couple of hours. It was Helena's sixteenth birthday and she couldn't wait to see the look on her daughter's face when she found her present. When she finally reached their house, she hurriedly unlocked the door. She was so excited she didn't notice the jacket and backpack in the middle of the floor and tripped over them. If it weren't for her cat like reflexes she would have fallen flat on her face. 'Backpack? Helena's the only one in this house with a backpack' she thought to herself._

_  
"Helena? Baby are you home?" she called. She didn't get an answer but her enhanced hearing picked up the steady rhythm of her daughter's heartbeat._

_As she entered the den, she found Helena asleep on the sofa. She smiled. Helena had grown from a beautiful kid into a gorgeous and amazing young woman. Sometimes she just couldn't believe that she was responsible for the creation of something so wonderful. She kneeled beside the sofa and brushed a piece of long, dark hair behind Helena's ear. _

_"Wake up darling; open those beautiful blue eyes," she whispered as she pressed her lips to her daughter's forehead. She wasn't expecting Helena's skin to be burning with fever. She immediately went into what Helena liked to call "mother mode." _

_"Mom?" Helena said groggily, as she slowly opened her eyes. _

_"Hey kitten, what's wrong? Why are you home so early?" Selina asked, frowning as she felt Helena's forehead. _

_"I don't feel good, so Barbara brought me home during lunch. We tried to call, but you were in a meeting and your cell was off. She thinks I have the flu or something," Helena whined, as she struggled to keep her eyes open._

_"Oh, my poor baby. I'm sorry you're not feeling well, and I'm so sorry I forgot to turn my cell on. I was too busy rushing home to surprise you with your birthday present. Can you forgive me?" she asked. Helena suddenly perked up a bit. _

_"Depends on what my surprise is," she answered with a grin. _

_"Well, I was going to take you shopping, then to your favorite restaurant, and I heard your favorite band is playing tonight—it was sold out, but I called in a favor and picked up two tickets," Selina said. She laughed at the surprised and ecstatic look on Helena's face. _

_"Mom, that's so awesome! I love you, I love you, I love you!" Helena said as she tried to jump up from the sofa._

_"Whoa there babe, you're burning up, and you're shivering," she said, rubbing Helena's shoulders vigorously in an attempt to warm her. _

_"You're in no shape to be going anywhere," Selina said, once again placing a hand on Helena's forehead. _

_"That feels good," Helena sighed, leaning into the cool feel of her mother's hand, but she became sad and disappointed at the thought of not being able to celebrate. She looked at Selina with those puppy dog eyes that always managed to make her mother say yes to anything, and that pout that was distinctively Helena Kyle. _

_"Oh no, don't you look at me like that. I'm sorry sweetie, but your health is more important to me than your happiness right now. I'll tell you what—if you promise to get some rest tonight, we'll do everything we were supposed to do tonight as soon as you feel better. Okay kitten?" Selina said. Helena hesitated, but finally agreed. She knew she didn't really have the energy to do anything._

_"Come on kid," Selina said, standing and taking Helena's hand, "let's get you up to bed." She put an arm around her waist and helped her daughter up to her room. Helena dressed in her most comfortable pajamas and crawled into bed. Selina gave her something for her fever, and called in to say she wouldn't be at work the next day. She also called Helena's school and let them know she would be out for the rest of the week. _

_"Are you comfortable? Warm enough?" she asked her very drowsy daughter. Helena nodded her head "yes", she could barely keep her eyes open—the medicine was starting to take effect. She turned over on her stomach. Selina turned out the light and headed toward the door, but Helena stopped her. _

_"Mom wait, will you stay with me? Please?" Helena asked. She knew it was childish. She was sixteen years old—practically a grown woman. But for some reason she had a feeling—like she should spend all the time she could with her mother because something was going to change soon. _

_"Of course I will baby," Selina said, as she crawled into the bed facing Helena and propping herself up on one elbow. _

_"I love you mom. Promise me you'll be here when I wake up," Helena said sleepily. _

_"I will. You know I'd never leave you kitten. I love you too much. Now go to sleep, you'll never feel better if you don't rest," Selina replied, kissing Helena's cheek._

_Helena drifted off with a smile on her face despite feeling miserable. It was only 3:00 in the afternoon—hardly Selina's bedtime. She wasn't at all tired, but there was nothing in the world she would rather be doing than what she was doing at that moment—lying there beside the most precious thing in the world to her, watching Helena sleep, rubbing her back soothingly, and running her fingers through those long raven tresses._

* * *

A tear rolled down Barbara's cheek as she heard Helena crying out for her mother. She had forgotten to turn off her com set again. She was having the dream...again. Helena hadn't been feeling well after her sweep, so she decided to spend the night at the clock tower and went straight to bed. Barbara should have been used to it; it had been happening for seven years, but it always hurt to hear it. It's hard to see a person you love in so much pain. Usually she just left Helena alone, but this time...this time was different. This time she couldn't take it anymore, and she was determined to make Helena talk. She had let it go for far too long. 

She stopped at the doorway nervously, not knowing exactly what to say. She slowly made her way over to the bed, watching as Helena tossed and turned—calling out "mom" over and over again. She touched Helena's forehead, not really expecting her skin to be as hot as it was.

"Helena, wake up. It's ok, it's just a dream," she said softly, shaking Helena gently. With Helena's reflexes, she definitely didn't want to startle the woman. Slowly Helena came around.

"Mom?" she asked hopefully.

"No Hel, it's me—Barbara," she replied.

"Barbara? What are you doing here?" Helena asked, rubbing her eyes.

"I heard you screaming, so I came to check on you. Are you alright?" she asked. She knew the answer Helena was going to give, but she also knew the truth. She wasn't alright, and she hadn't been since the day her mother was killed.

"I'm fine," she answered.

"No you're not Hel, and I've let you pretend you were for way too long," Barbara said. She could see Helena's anger start to creep towards the surface, but she didn't care.

"Listen Hel, I love you. I know you hate to hear it, but I do, and I only want to help you," she said, reaching over to feel Helena's forehead again. Helena flinched and backed away a little, not wanting to be touched.

"See! That's what I'm talking about! Why do you do that? Whenever something's wrong you won't let anyone near you. You won't let anyone touch you or take care of you. You're sick, I try to feel your head and you back away. Why? Do you really hate me that much?" Barbara said, her voice overflowing with emotion. Helena bowed her head and didn't say anything.

"It hurts me so much to see you hurting and not be able to do anything about it. I don't want to push you, I just want to help you," she pleaded. She stared at Helena, hoping she would say something—say anything. It nearly broke her heart when she saw the tears fall from Helena's eyes.

"Oh no, Helena I'm sorry. Don't cry. Maybe I should just leave you alone," she said, and then turned to leave.

"Barbara wait, don't go," Helena said softly. Barbara reclaimed her place beside the bed.

"I don't hate you and you know it," she started, "but it's hard. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"You're supposed to let the people who love you help you," Barbara said. "I can't do that, it's too hard," Helena replied.

"Why? Talk to me; help me understand," she said.

"Do you remember the last time I was sick? It was right before mom died. One of my last good memories of her was of that week and how she stayed home to take care of me. We had so much fun. I can't stand the thought of anyone replacing her. Barbara, I miss her so much," she sobbed.

"I miss her too. You know I would never try to replace Selina; no one ever could. I don't think of you as a daughter; I think of you as an annoying little sister...but one whom I still love very much no matter how much you get on my nerves. Selina trusted me to take care of you, but I can't do that if you won't let me," Barbara replied, "I'm not expecting things to change over night. All I ask is that you try to let me do what your mother wanted me to. Know that you can come to me with anything, you can talk to me about anything, you can ask me for anything...all you have to do is say the words. Selina wouldn't want things to be like this, Helena. It's probably breaking her heart to see you suffer like this."

Helena didn't say anything, but the hopeful look in her eyes said it all. Getting Helena to open up would be a slow and long process, but Barbara knew that Helena was willing to try. Barbara smiled and Helena smiled back slightly. Hesitantly, Barbara reached over to brush a sweat soaked strand of hair from Helena's forehead. This time Helena didn't flinch or back away—it was a small thing, but a huge step all at the same time.

"Hey, let me get you something for that fever," Barbara said as she turned to leave the room. Barbara returned a few minutes later with a bottle of aspirin, a class of water, and a cool cloth.

"Here, take these," she said as she handed Helena two of the pills and the glass of water. Helena stared at the pills in her hand and frowned. Barbara laughed softly; Helena had always hated swallowing pills...or any other kid of medicine.

"You are such a baby, just swallow the damn things already," Barbara said. Helena pouted like a child, but finally did what she was told—dramatically of course.

"I was hoping this was vodka," Helena said as she finished off the glass of water.

"Shut up and lie down," Barbara said lightheartedly.

"You sure are bossy when you know I don't have the energy to kick your ass," Helena said, sticking out her tongue.

"It's the only time you listen," Barbara replied with a laugh as she placed the cool cloth on Helena's forehead. Helena purred contentedly.

"I take it that feels a lot better," Barbara said, pulling the cover up around Helena. Helena nodded her head sleepily, barely able to keep her eyes open.

"Get some rest. I'll come check on you later," Barbara said while turning to leave.

"Barbara?" Helena called softly just as she was about to close the door.

"Yes Hel?" Barbara replied.

"I love you too," Helena said in a voice that was barely a whisper. But Barbara heard every word as if she was speaking into a megaphone. She smiled...Helena was trying, and it was the best gift Barbara had ever received.

"Goodnight Helena," she replied, but Helena's breathing told her that she had already fallen asleep. Tears streamed down her face as she shut the door to the room...but this time they were tears of joy, not tears of sadness.

Fin


End file.
